The Federal Republic of Austurasia is a huge, efficient nation, notable for its national health service, keen interest in outer space, and absence of drug laws. The compassionate, democratic population of 670 million Austurasians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Healthcare, Education, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Colnoa. The average income tax rate is 69.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The thriving Austurasian economy, worth 43.5 trillion Guilders a year, is quite specialized and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Pizza Delivery. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 64,932 Guilders, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.9 times as much as the poorest.

Voting is compulsory, this year's comedy award has left mothers-in-law seething, all astronauts are hot twenty-something models selected because they have 'the right stuff', and Leader's new political program is often mockingly called 'Capitalism with a Bigtopian face'. Crime is totally unknown. Austurasia's national animal is the Dolphin, which is also the nation's favorite main course.